Predator
by Madame Poopsie
Summary: This world can be a very dangerous place when you can't tell your friends from your enemies. Sometimes something nasty can have the appearance of something nice. Sometimes evil intents can be hidden behind sweet words and a smile. Unfortunately, these are lessons that some must learn the hard way.
1. Chapter 1

Okay… this is the first time I've ever written something like this so please be gentle. Anyway, I hope you like it. Balto is owned by Universal.

Chapter 1

Don't judge a book by its cover…

A simple phrase, yet it holds such a profound meaning.

More often than not, people are not all that they appear to be.

Men who boast of bravery are often sniveling cowards.

Women who profess the virtues of kindness are often quite cruel.

And sometimes the dearest of friends turn out to be the vilest of enemies.

Unfortunately these are lessons that most people must learn the hard way.

XXX

_Nome, Alaska; Circa 1925_

"Ooo…. Dixie, you are lookin' so… gorgeous today." A squeaky voice said aloud with a vivacious giggle. "That poor boy won't be able to keep his paws off you."

The owner of this sugary voice was, if you can believe it, a pretty young Pomeranian by the name of Dixie and the person she was speaking to was, oddly enough, herself.

Presently, this pampered pooch was down in the crawlspace beneath her owner's house, carefully primping herself in front of an old mirror she'd _found _in a back alley not too long ago.

"And… there! Perfect!" squeaked the perky little Pom excitedly as she finished fluffing up her pristine powder-puff like fur. She needed to look her best for today. For today she was going after the ultimate prey.

Now, Dixie had a certain reputation around town for being… well… stupid. And for the most part this was true. She was ditzy, flighty, scatterbrained, and occasionally got certain words mixed up. However, this was not all there was to her; in spite of what most of the other dogs in town thought. Deep down, beneath all that poofy fur beats the heart of predator. And this predator was just about to begin her final hunt.

Of course, she wasn't quite ready yet; she still needed to put on the finishing touches.

Using her fluffy yet functional tail, Dixie grabbed a bottle of expensive French perfume that she _borrowed_ from her owner and pulled it close. Then, using her elegant paws, she carefully spritzed herself with the sweet-smelling liquid. Not too much of course, mustn't overpower her own natural scent; that was her secret weapon. No… just enough to enhance her already intoxicating odor; although she did make sure to give her hindquarters an extra spritz or two just in case.

Once the fragrant mist had properly melded with her soft and luxurious fur, she took a brief moment to polish heart shaped pendant on her collar. There, now she looked _stunning_.

"Oh… baby, I look magnesium!" she squealed with excitement as she gazed at her gorgeous reflection, while also flubbing her vocabulary… again. "Loverboy's not gonna know what hit him."

"Talking to yourself again, eh Dixie?" asked a snarky yet familiar voice from behind.

The pampered pom instantly recognized it as the voice of one of her closest friends, a lanky young Afghan by the name of Sylvie, so she didn't even bother turning around; she was far to engrossed in own reflection.

"Hey Sylvie, how's it going?" she asked cutely while she continued to admire her handiwork.

"Same old, same old." The slightly older Afghan replied dryly before quickly sniffing the air. "Well now, what's this, perfume? Smells like some lucky dog's getting lucky tonight."

"Uh-huh."

"Well don't just sit there girl. Give me details. Who's your new target?"

"Guess." The pretty pom said playfully as she finally decided to turn around and face the dog she was speaking to.

Now as a rule Sylvie **hated** guessing games, but she was never one to resist a piece of juicy gossip, so she decided to play along.

"Okay… let's see. You're wearing perfume, so it's not some random nobody. Is it… someone one the sled team?"

The little powder-puff nodded feverishly in response.

"Alright… now we're gettin' somewhere. Is it… Nikki?"

Dixie shook her head.

"Is it Kaltag?"

Dixie shook her head again.

"Star?"

Yet again Dixie shook her head.

"Oh for the love of… Just spit it out already! You're killing me here!"

"Alright… I'll tell you." The pampered pom said in a tone one only uses when they are about to reveal a very naughty secret. "I'm goin' after… the lead dog!"

At this shocking revelation, the lanky Afghan's eyes went as wide as dinner plates. However, after she had a minute or two to process this new information her eyes returned to normal and her look of surprise was replaced by an amused and toothy smirk.

"That's bold Dixie… I love it!"

"Thanks." The little powder-puff replied with another playful giggle. "By the way, I need a little favor. I need ya to get rid of Jenna for a few hours while I work my magic on her little boo."

"A few hours…" Sylvie repeated in disbelieve. "It's gonna take you that long to get the job done?"

"Oh Sylvie… don't be so naïve." replied Dixie, in a true 'pot calling the kettle black' kind of moment. "You can't just jump on a dog like Balto right off the bat. You gotta woo him first."

"Woo him?"

"Yeah, you know… sweet talk him a little, ease him into the situation, make him feel all snuggly and comfortable, then when he's not expecting it I introduce him to my Magic Paws and then _Boom_, he's all over me."

"Sounds to me like this more than just a casual fling."

"You better believe it honey." Dixie said confidently. "By this time tonight that wolf-dog's gonna be all mine, _forever_!"

At this moment the lanky Afghan's toothy smirk evolved into a grin that threatened to split her muzzle in half. It had been far too long since she had seen this side of her fluffy little friend. She had been afraid that the Steele incident had permanently dulled her carnal instincts. But no, the poofy predator was back and hungrier than ever.

Still, there was one thing she had to make sure of before she agreed to anything.

"Just out of curiosity, what's with this sudden interest in the wolf-dog? As far as I know you two haven't even been properly introduced yet."

"Oh… you know me Sylvie. He's the local hero and I'm the most beautiful dog in town. We belong together. It's like a law of nature or something. Like lightning or… trees." Answered Dixie confidently, in spite of how stupid her statement was. "Plus once you get past the whole wolf thing he's really kinda cute."

Sylvie had to stifle a chuckle. Even when she was in predator mode, her little friend was still a total ditz.

"Besides, we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other after I make him my little Love Muffin."

Once again the Afghan had to stifle a laugh. The little powder-puff was already picking out pet names; cute.

"Alright Dixie, you've convinced me. I'll keep Jenna out of the way for you."

"You will? Thanks Sylvie! You're a doll, an absolute doll!"

"Yeah, yeah… don't mention it. Now hurry up. You're losing daylight." The lanky Afghan said as she hurried her friend along, only to stop her when a sudden realization dawned. "Wait! What about Jenna? I can keep her busy all day, but she's gonna find out about this eventually. You know she's not gonna take this lying down."

"Oh… I wouldn't worry about her. Jenna's too much of a Goodie-Four-Paws to do anything about it." Dixie answered sweetly as she headed for the exit. "Besides, this is kinda her fault. I mean, they've been together for like over a month and they still haven't even consternated their relationship yet. As far as I'm concerned that makes him fair game. Wish me luck."

"Go get him killer!"

And with that, the pampered pooch scampered out into the street in search of her prey; leaving Sylvie alone with her thoughts.

"Oh… this is just too perfect." The Afghan said with wicked glee as she too went out into the street to search for her target. "Once Dixie's done with Balto, he's not gonna even remember Jenna's name."

It's not that she hated the scarlet husky, heavens no, it's just that Jenna had seriously been asking for this for a long time. Ever since the serum run, that red-haired hussy had been acting all holier-than-thou whenever she was around her or Dixie. And why? Just because she fell for the real hero and they both fell for a creep. Like she's so perfect! Like she's never made bad call! Anyway, this was perfect thing to knock Ms. Perfect down a few pegs.

Besides it's not like she really knew what to do with a dog like Balto anyway. I mean… Jenna was a sweet girl, but she wouldn't know how to please a guy if someone drew her a diagram. While Dixie on the other paw… well… let's that little fluff-ball was well versed in that subject, in spite of her less than average intelligence.

In strange way, Sylvie almost felt sorry for Balto; that poor boy had no idea what he was in for. Dixie might not look it, but that little creampuff was an unstoppable Alpha Dog and a relentless nymphomaniac. She was not only going to seduce the young wolf-dog, but she was going to dominate and subjugate him as well. She was going to turn that hero into her obedient little love puppy for life. And if anyone even tried to get in her way they'd be destroyed.

You know, with that kind of drive and killer instinct, Sylvie sometimes wondered if that little powder-puff didn't have a little wolf in her as well.

End Notes: Okay… so that was the first chapter. Let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, there seems to be some confusion over the nature of this story, so just to clarify, **this is not a lemon! **This is a tale of deception and betrayal. Sex may be a plot device but it is not the focus. There will be no 'onscreen' sex in this fic at all. Glad we got that all straightened out. Enjoy the show. Also, Balto is owned by Universal.

Chapter 2

It was a beautiful day in Nome, Alaska.

The sun was shining, the ground was covered with fresh white snow, and the whole town was abuzz with activity.

Yes sir, it was a real picture-perfect day.

At least that's how it appeared from the human perspective.

However, amongst the canine community, a dark conspiracy was in the works; a conspiracy that threatened to alter the course of several young lives.

XXX

Sylvie was pacing around the alley behind Jenna's place; desperately racking her brain for a way to keep her friend distracted while Dixie was on the prowl.

"Okay… think! What takes a few hours?" the lanky Afghan asked herself as she frantically searched for the perfect diversion, only to come up with zilch. "Damn it! Why is this so hard?"

Fortunately Jenna hadn't left yet, the scarlet husky in question liked to spend her mornings playing with that little girl of hers. Unfortunately it was getting close to lunch time and Sylvie knew for a fact that she had plans with Balto that afternoon. So if she was going to do something she was going to have to do it fast.

Just then a strong and rather unpleasant aroma wafted past her delicate nose; causing her to gag uncontrollably.

"Holy hell!" Sylvie exclaimed before going into a violent coughing fit. After several minutes of hacking like a lumberjack, the Afghan managed to compose herself. "What… was… that?"

Her mission momentarily forgotten, Sylvie rushed to the nearest street corner, intent on locating the source of the offensive odor. Luckily Nome was such a small town; it took her almost no time at all to find the source.

Across the street, two large men were stacking barrels in front of the general store. Sylvie couldn't quite make out the writing on the barrels, but now that she was closer she was able to identify the smell.

"_Bleck! _Garlic Pickles!" the lanky Afghan said with great disgust. "I'll never understand how humans can eat such garbage. That smell almost gave me a concussion."

Just then an idea began to take shape in Sylvie's brain; an evil, underhanded, conniving, and brilliant idea.

"Bingo…"

XXX

It was just about half past twelve when Sylvie had everything in place for her sinister plan. And not a moment too soon, for at that very moment her scarlet coated target was strolling out her front door and into the street.

'Showtime!' the lanky Afghan thought to herself with cruel excitement as she walked over to meet her friend. "Jenna, darling!" she called out with false sincerity. "So good to see ya."

"Hello Sylvie." The red-haired husky replied in a voice like the chime of a crystal bell. "It's nice to see you too."

"So… how've you been? Since you started going out with that new beau of yours, it's like I never see you anymore."

"Oh… I'm fine. I've just been so busy with Balto that I guess I just lost track of everything else. I'm sorry."

"Eh… don't worry about it." Sylvie said in her trademark snarky yet reassuring tone. Then, feeling saucy, she decided to have a little fun with her prudish friend. "By the way, how _is_ the old wolf-dog?"

"Balto's fine. He had a little accident the other day and hurt his foot, but he's doing much better."

"No Honey, I mean _how is he_?" the lanky Afghan said again, her voice dripping with sinful curiosity.

At first Jenna wasn't sure what her friend was getting at. It took a few moments of thought before she finally understood; then her eyes went as wide as saucers.

"Sylvie!" the scarlet husky yelped; her face flushed with embarrassment. "That's so inappropriate!"

"What?" Sylvie asked innocently. "Is it so wrong that I'm taking an interest in my best friend's life?"

"It is when it involves… that sort of thing." Jenna answered tentatively; trying not to say anything too… blue. "Those kind of things are personal; their just between me and Balto."

"So in other words you two still haven't sealed the deal yet."

"Like I said, it's between me and Balto."

Sylvie had known Jenna since they were pups, so she knew all kinds of ways to push her buttons. Most of the time she only did this for a little harmless fun, but this time she had a much more sinister motive in mind. The more she poked the more flustered Jenna got and the more flustered she got the less likely she was to dodge her little… _surprise_.

"Look sweetie, I know you're not exactly comfortable discussing this subject, but I have to say, I'm a little concerned about your… lack of activity."

"Listen, Sylvie, it's nothing serious." Jenna said tactfully. "Balto and I are just waiting for the right moment. We want our first time to be special. That's all."

"I understand that Jenna, believe me I do, but there's something you need to understand." The lanky Afghan said with false sincerity. "Look… when someone like you has been going out with someone like him for this long and they still haven't… _legitimized_ their relationship, some nasty rumors start floating around."

"Rumors?" Jenna asked in a curious yet slightly frightened tone. "What rumors? What are you talking about?"

"Never mind." replied Sylvie. "Forget I said anything."

Now on the surface it seemed like Sylvie was trying to steer the conversation away from such an unpleasant topic, but in reality she was baiting her friend toward it. It wasn't necessary to tease the scarlet husky like this, but it sure was fun.

"Sylvie, please!" Jenna said insistently. "If the other dogs are saying bad things about my Balto I have a right to know."

"Yeah… that's the thing…" the lanky Afghan said with sigh; pretending like this was painful to say. "How do I say this? The rumors… aren't exactly about Balto."

"What?"

"They're about you dear… I'm sorry."

"Me?" the scarlet husky asked; her voice dripping with shock and horror. "What are they saying about me?"

"Trust me sweetie, you don't wanna know."

"Tell me." Jenna replied; a slight edge in her voice.

"Alright…" Sylvie said with another false sigh. "Some of the other dogs are calling you a… cocktease. They're saying that you're just stringing him along and that you're only using him to get attention."

It is important to note that this precise moment Jenna and Sylvie were standing directly in front of the general store and one of the pickle barrels was starting to wobble.

"H… how…" the scarlet husky stuttered; barely able to comprehend what she was hearing. "How could anyone think that?"

Unfortunately, before Sylvie could think up a reply, the barrel on top of the stack finally fell over. A loud _crack_, a sudden _splash_, and frightened _yelp_ later it was all over. The trap had been sprung. Now all that was left was to reel her in.

"Oh, my gosh!" the lanky Afghan shouted in false astonishment. "Are you alright sweetie?"

Jenna didn't answer at first; she was too busy gagging as the repulsive bile melded with her formerly soft and fragrant coat. Miraculously she was able to remain conscious in spite of the noxious odor overwhelming her senses.

"Yeah… _cough… _Sylvie, I'm… _cough… cough… _just… _cough… cough… cough… _fine."

"You poor thing…" Sylvie said with false sympathy as she attempted to lead her friend in the opposite direction. "Come on, I'll take you back to my place and get you all cleaned up."

"Oh, you don't have to… _cough… cough… _do that Sylvie. I'll just head home and… _cough… cough… _get Rosie to give me a quick bath."

"Bath's not gonna cut it honey. You're gonna need some industrial strength grooming to get that stench. Now come on, we need to hurry before that slop stains your fur."

"But… _cough… _I have plans with Balto this afternoon."

"All the more reason to get this taken care of right away; with his nose that smell will probably put him in a coma."

"But shouldn't I…"

No buts, the sooner we get you fixed up the sooner you can see Balto."

Jenna wanted to argue, but she knew her friend had a point, so she just sighed and accepted her help.

"Alright Sylvie, lead the way."

As the lanky Afghan lead her unsuspecting friend down the busy street, she couldn't help but smirk at how well her plan had gone. She made a mental note to stop by the butcher shop later to pick up that rack of lamb she owed Nikki for his participation in her little endeavor; that dog may not have been much to look at, but he knew how to get a job done and when to not ask questions. Anyway, Dixie was probably at Balto's by now, so now all she had to do was keep Ms. Goodie Four-Paws busy long enough for the little powder-puff to do what she did best. Then the real show would begin.

"What are you smiling about Sylvie?" Jenna asked curiously.

"Oh nothing… just thinking about a dirty joke."

End Notes: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The next one is where things really start to get interesting. See you then.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay… that took forever. So sorry to anyone who's following this, I've been very busy. Anyway, Balto is owned by Universal. Yadda, yadda, yadda, this is not a lemon.

Chapter 3

Three or four miles to the south, far beyond the outskirts Nome, there lay the wreck of what had once been a mighty fishing vessel.

For as long as anyone could remember it had been there and no one alive today could tell you how or when it had run aground.

All anybody knew about the old shipwreck was that it was the home of a hero and quite frankly that's all they really needed to know.

However, on this day the old crate would go done in history as the site of a certain fluffy predator's final and most bountiful hunt.

XXX

'Ooo, this is gonna be sooooo much fun!' thought Dixie as she scampered through the pure white snow; giggling like a giddy schoolgirl. 'Ready or not Poopsie, here comes Dixie!'

The pampered pom slowed her paced as she finally neared her destination. She would've been there a lot sooner, had she not been dragging about five feet of sausage links in her teeth. The effort had cost her a few precious minutes, but the wieners were essential to her plan. Like the old saying goes, the way to a dog's heart is through his stomach. Besides, she knew from personal experience that dogs with full tummies were just like little puppies; cute and totally helpless. This thought made the little puff ball want to squeal with delight, but fortunately she had enough sense in that fluffy head of hers to know when to keep quiet. This was a hunt after all, and ninety-five percent of hunting was maintaining the element of surprise.

With great grace and poise, the powder-puff-predator quietly walked up to the large hole the ship's hull that served as the wolf-dog's front door. Then she dropped the sausages on the ground and let out the cutest sounding _yip_ she could muster; hoping that this would get her quarry's attention. And as luck would have it, her plan worked. A few minutes later, the noble half-breed emerged from his lair and into the light of day.

This was the first time Dixie had ever been this close to the silver husky, so she took a quick moment to properly examine all of his features. A sinful smile spread over her lips as her mind filled with thoughts of lust. Oh yes…. This was going to be so much fun!

"Um… hello…" a weathered voice said confusedly; effectively bringing the little powder-puff back down to earth.

Balto was staring at her; his face a mask of disillusion. Understandable, the noble half-breed was probably expecting his beloved Jenna. Poor thing, he looked so disappointed. Well, Dixie knew just how to put a smile back on that cute puppy-like face.

"Hey there!" the fluffy little temptress said sweetly. "Nice day isn't it?"

"Yeah… I suppose it is…" Balto replied awkwardly as he desperately tried to place this strange, yet admittedly lovely, dog's name. He had seen her around town many times, usual talking to Jenna, but he had never actually spoken to her. Heck, he didn't even know her name and yet there she was at his doorstep. This was most unusual. "Listen…um…"

"Dixie." The pampered pom finished cutely; sparing him any further embarrassment.

"Thanks." He said with a grateful smile before continuing. "Listen… Dixie… please don't take this the wrong way but… what are you doing here?"

"Oh… you know…" the little fluff-ball said casually. "I just figured that since you and Jenna are gettin' so serious, I should drop by and… get to know you better. I mean… what kind of dog would I be if I didn't even try to make friends with my best friend's new beau?"

Ever since she was a little pup, Dixie had always had a talent for charming the opposite sex and over the years she'd learned more than a few tricks to make that charm work for her. Case in point, she had learned long ago that in order for these things to go over smoothly you have to keep your true intensions a secret. You have to make it seem like it was completely unintentional. That way, if she had to, she could shift all of the blame on to someone else; say for example, a certain prudish husky.

"So… can I come in?" she asked innocently before pointing a paw at the sausages. "I brought lunch."

Now, from Balto's perspective, this all seemed rather peculiar. He wasn't used to having strange dogs dropping by his home unannounced; at least not with good intensions. But the little powder-puff sounded so sincere and she was one of Jenna's closest friends, so really he saw no harm in letting her come inside; at least for a little while.

"Alright, I mean… if you really want to." The wolf-dog said politely as stepped out of her way and pulled back the curtain. "After you…"

"Ooo… such a gentleman." Dixie replied with a playful giggle as she entered his humble abode.

The interior of the old vessel was nothing spectacular; in fact it was downright creepy. All dark and dusty; this was no way for a hero to live. Not that it really mattered anymore; once this was all over he'd be living in more comfortable surroundings.

"Nice place ya got here." The pampered pom said sweetly, though Balto could tell she was just being polite. "It's very… homey."

"Thanks." Replied Balto with an awkward chuckle; still not entirely comfortable with having such a lovely stranger in his home like this. "It's not much, but it's…" Before he could finish his statement, the noble wolf-dog let out a loud and pain filled yelp.

At first this caught Dixie off-guard, she very nearly jumped out of her fur. Fortunately she was able to regain her composure quickly. That's when she noticed the way he was standing; his right front paw was raised slightly off the ground. This gave the little powder-puff a very… _interesting_ idea.

"Oh dear!" she said worriedly as she hurried toward him. "You poor thing, are you alright?"

"Yeah… I'm alright." the wolf-dog answered with a slight wince. "It's nothing."

"That doesn't sound like nothing to me." Dixie said as she gently nudged his injured paw with her nose. "Now come on, let Dixie see your boo-boo."

Balto wasn't quite sure why, but for some reason he felt compelled to obey her. So without any further resistance, the noble wolf-dog displayed his damaged foot to the pampered pom; earning a horrified gasp.

"Oh my goodness!" she shrieked as she gazed upon the nasty looking scratch on his padded heel. "You poor, poor baby, you shouldn't be walking on that. Go lay down over there."

"It really doesn't hurt that much. It's just a scratch."

"Oh honey, you don't have to act all tough around me." Dixie said sympathetically. "Now go relax over there and I'll go get the sausages."

Once again, Balto felt strangely powerless to refuse the little fluff-ball. So instead of arguing, he just did as instructed and laid down in a pile of nice soft snow.

Moments later Dixie scampered back in with a train of sausages trailing behind her.

"Alright sweetie," she said cutely as she positioned herself right beside the wolf-dog's head and plucked up one of the tantalizing links with her paws. "Now… open up."

'Okay… now this is getting too weird.' Balto thought to himself as he looked on at the other dog. It was one thing to let Dixie into his home for a friendly chat, but it was quite another to let her feed him like some kind of puppy; especially when Jenna was due to drop by any minute. He had to put a stop to this.

"Dixie… this really isn't…" he began, only to be cutoff by a succulent sausage being shoved into his unsuspecting maw. He tried to protest, but a quick swipe of Dixie's fluffy tail across his sensitive nose ended any resistance he might've given.

Dixie's scent was… _intoxicating_. It was like wild flowers mixed with milk and honey with just hint of something Balto couldn't identify. The very second the aroma struck his nostrils the noble wolf-dog's mind went into a deep haze. This was bliss… bliss and heaven.

Trapped in a mild delirium, Balto gladly accepted the tasty morsel; much to Dixie's delight.

Unfortunately for her, the noble wolf-dog quickly regained his senses. He slowly raised his head so that they were both at eyelevel. Then, in a polite yet firm tone, he asked her. "Why did you do that?"

Instantly Dixie's eyes began to water and a frown stretched across her muzzle. "I… I'm sorry…" she said with a small sniffle. "It's just… I can't stand to see someone in pain." Tears began streaming from her eyes. "When… whenever I see so… someone in pain I… I just have to take care of them… to make them feel better." By this point she was blubbering like a polar bear. "I… I… I just can't help myself! It's like a… like a… like a material instinct or something!"

As the pampered pom continued to sob, Balto's guilt threatened to overwhelm him. So, being the gentleman that he was, the noble wolf-dog raised his good paw and used it to wipe the tears from her streaming eyes.

"Listen… Dixie…" he said tentatively. "I'm really sorry. I swear I'm not mad at you."

"You… you're not?"

"No… of course not, it's just that… I'm not used to being fussed over like this. It makes me a little… uneasy."

"Oh… I see…" the little fluff-ball said sadly. "I didn't mean to make you feel uneasy… I was just trying to help." She turned around and slowly made her way towards the door. "But... if I make you uncomfortable I'll just get out of your way."

That last bit really made him feel like a heel. The little fluff-ball meant well, and she was one of Jenna's closest friends. So… he supposed there was no harm in indulging her a little.

"Wait…" he called to her before she could leave. "Please don't go. You said you wanted to get to know me better, so… why don't you stick around for a little while and we'll talk. At least until Jenna gets here. Sound good?"

Were it not for the fact that Dixie was facing the exit, Balto would've seen a devilish grin spread across the pampered pom's lips.

"Okay… if you insist."

XXX

"… and then there's my older sister Trixie. She's such a sweetheart." said Dixie as she continued to regale Balto with tales about her family. "Of course… she wasn't always like that. When we were little she was a total brat. Always making fun of me and getting her friends to tease me."

"You were teased?" the handsome half-breed asked skeptically.

"Oh yeah… she used to call me _Bubble Head_ and _Scatter Brain. _Can you believe that?"

"No... Not at all…" Balto replied with a surprising amount of sincerity. "Some dogs can be so cruel."

"Yeah… but we were just kids. Me and Trixie are really close now." As she spoke, the little powder-puff reached for the next sausage, only to make a startling discovery. "Oopsie looks like we're all out."

"Really?" the noble wolf-dog asked jokingly. "I wonder how that happened."

At this the two dogs shared a nice lighthearted laugh.

It had been over an hour and a half since Dixie first arrived at his humble abode and so far Balto, much to his own surprise, was having a wonderful time. True, the little fluff-ball wasn't the brightest star in the sky, but there was just something about her that was just so… gosh darned wonderful. She was sweet, nurturing, funny, understanding, and had a laugh that was positively contagious; he could why she and Jenna were such good friends.

However, there was one thing that troubled him. Every so often, Balto would catch a whiff of Dixie's scent and… well, let's just say it was a little _overwhelming_. It was so much more potent than Jenna's and yet it was so sweet and… inviting. But fortunately, this wore off quickly; he would remind himself of Jenna and then he'd be back to his old self. Still, the noble wolf-dog had to wonder, why was he even having those kinds of thoughts in the first place?

"Um… Balto." the little powder-puff spoke up, regaining the handsome half-breed's attention. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you, but it's… kinda personal."

"I don't mind Dixie." He said to his newfound friend. "Ask away."

"Are you sure? I mean, I don't want to offend you or anything."

"Don't worry, I can take it. Go ahead."

"Okay…" Dixie paused for a moment, obviously trying to find the best way to word her question. "How come you and Jenna aren't living together?"

Well now… the old wolf-dog certainly wasn't expecting that one.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh… it's nothing." Replied Dixie innocently. "It's just that, in my opinion, when two dogs reach a certain point in their relationship they should… move in together, or at least not live so far away from each other. Long distance relationships just seem so… impersonal to me."

This question really threw Balto for a loop. Not just because it was completely unexpected, but also because it was one he thought about quite a bit. He had often fanaticized about being able live with his beloved Jenna; to be able to come home and find her there waiting for him… longingly. But of course he knew better than to dwell on the impossible. There were some dreams that weren't meant to come true.

"I'm sorry, is that a sore subject?" Dixie asked apologetically.

"No… it's fine…" Balto replied. "It's just… it's just too complicated."

"What do you mean?"

"Well… I could never ask Jenna to leave Rosie to come live out here and there's no way I'd ever be welcome in her home."

"Are you kiddin'? You're the town hero. Everyone loves you."

"Petting me on the head and giving me scraps in the street is one thing, but letting me live with them is something else entirely." The noble wolf-dog said with a melancholy sigh. "Let's face it; I'll always be part wolf and no matter what I do people will never want in their houses."

"Oh… you poor baby." The pampered pom said sympathetically. "You've been through so much. But people are more understanding then you think. Sometimes they just need a little push to get over these kinds of things."

"I don't know…"

"Well I do sweetie." Dixie answered affectionately. "Now… let's forget about all this gloomy talk. I know just the thing to cheer you up. Show me your belly."

"What?"

"Not like that, you silly-boo." She answered playfully. "I'm just gonna give your tummy a little rub to help ya digest all that sausage. There's nothing… promise-saurus about that is there?"

"I don't know…"

"Oh, come on… it'll make you feel better. I promise."

Balto thought about this for a few moments. Dixie's offer seemed harmless enough, but what would Jenna think if she saw them? How could he possibly explain this? But on the other paw, Jenna knew him and Dixie better than that. She knew they'd never do anything to betray her. So really, he couldn't think of a reason not to accept.

"Well… alright." the noble wolf-dog said begrudgingly as he slowly rolled over on his back; displaying his stomach. "Just promise me you won't do anything… weird. Okay?"

"Don't worry Honey, I'll be gentle." She said with a giggle as she began to work her Magic Paws on his helpless tummy.

Slowly her soft and delicate pads glided across his exposed underbelly; taking special care not to… _overstimulate_ her prey. For you see, the key to forging a lasting intimate relationship with a guy is not to force yourself on him, but rather to get him to force himself on you.

"Havin' fun sweetie?" she asked slyly.

Balto's only response was a low, lustful moan.

Dixie couldn't help but smile at this. Her plan was working perfectly. The handsome half-breed was now completely under her spell. She didn't quite understand the science behind her methods, but she knew that something about the combination of a full stomach, her scent, and a well-timed tummy massage made guys go wild. Any minute now, the old wolf-dog's eyes would snap open, he'd rollover, get back up on his feet, rush over to her, and then the real fun would begin.

Dixie felt a slight bang of guilt for tricking Balto like this, but in the end he'd be much better off. Once this was all over he'd have a proper home, a nice soft bed, and a beautiful mate to tend to his every need; all of the things a true hero deserved. True Jenna might have a few objections to their new relation, but she'd get over it… probably.

The little fluff-ball's thoughts were suddenly derailed when she noticed Balto's were as wide as saucers.

He was now in a state of pure animal lust.

As the inebriated half-breed started to roll himself over, Dixie let out a squeal of girlish delight.

This hunt was about to come to a _spectacular_ end.

End Notes: Well… I hope you all enjoyed this one. Next chapter will be the last one. Please leave a comment on your way out. Peace.


	4. Chapter 4

Well this is it folks. The last chapter. Balto is owned by Universal. If I owned it this fic would be the plot of the second movie. Anyway, this is not a Lemon and now on with the show.

Chapter 4

Evil…

Such an arbitrary word isn't it?

And really, what does it even mean?

What is evil?

For that matter, what is good?

How does one tell a loyal friend from a hated enemy?

What separates an act of kindness from an act of selfishness?

Where is the line between true love and black lust?

These are questions that have baffled human and animal kind since the dawn of time.

Unfortunately, as a certain red-haired husky is about to discover, there are no clear answers.

And sometimes there are no happy endings.

XXX

For what felt like an eternity, Balto floated in a great sea of darkness. He couldn't see, hear, smell, feel, or move; he just… _existed_. It was so bizarre, it was like his mind and body had become separated. He was beginning to wonder if he might be dead.

Fortunately his fears were soon put to rest. The world slowly returned and with it came his senses. Soon his fluttered open and he was back in the familiar bosom of his humble home. For a brief moment the noble half-breed felt completely at peace, but this peace was shattered when his other senses returned and he began to notice a few things. First there was the fact that he felt completely exhausted, in spite of the fact that he'd just woken up from a presumably long nap. Second, there was strange and pungent aroma dominating the air; it was a little like his own, only mixed with several other scents he couldn't quite place. Third, and by far the most confusing, was strange sensation he felt on the left side of his chest; it was almost as if something small and fluffy was… _snuggling _up against him.

That's when it all came flooding back. Dixie's unexpected visit, their long and pleasant chat over sausages, her all too generous offer to give him a tummy massage, and then they… Oh dear lord!

He remembered everything. Every breath, every position, every sweaty… dear God! What had he done? Not only had he betrayed Jenna, but he'd… _violated _one of her closest friends; and Dixie had been so sweet to him. How could he have lost control like that? He felt sick. He felt dirty. He felt like… like some kind of monster.

Fortunately, it was at this moment that the little powder-puff at his side began to stir; temporarily derailing the old wolf-dog's guilt trip. He turned his head slowly toward the source of his great shame and when his eyes finally fell upon her… dear God! She was beautiful! Even with her fur all mussed up and disheveled she looked like an angel. She was just lying there, curled up in a little ball, all cute and innocent. It made him absolutely sick to that he'd _deflowered_ such a poor, sweet girl in such a… _vile_, _animalistic _fashion.

Just then, Dixie raised her head and began to scan her surroundings. Eventually her weary eyes fell upon the handsome half-breed and she just stared at him in confusion.

"Balto?"

It was just too much. He couldn't stand it anymore.

"Balto, sweetie, what's the matter?"

He didn't answer. He couldn't. Not after what he had done. So instead of speaking he just stood up, ignoring the stabbing pain in his paw, and hurried out the door. He wasn't running away, he just _**really **_needed some fresh air.

"Balto! Wait a minute!" she called after him, but by then he was out the door.

Unfortunately for the noble wolf-dog, even in the light of day he couldn't escape his guilt; his fur still reeked of the sinful deed. This was all just too much! Why did he lose control like that? How was he going explain this to Jenna? Would he run out into the wilderness for violating such a pure and innocent creature? Too many questions… his head was spinning. He soon fell to his knees in the glistening white snow.

"Oh… lord!" the handsome half-breed said with a loud whisper. "What am I going to do?"

"Balto!" Dixie called out to the suffering half-breed as she scampered after him. "Balto, honey, are you okay? What's the matter?"

"I just… and we… and the sausage… and… and the smell…"

By this point Dixie was standing directly in front of the wallowing wolf-dog, so she was able to give him a sympathetic pat on the head.

"Oh sweetie…it's gonna be okay."

"No it won't!" he said hysterically. "I'm a monster! I betrayed Jenna! I violated you! I'll be run out town! My life is over!"

Before he could go any further, Dixie gave the wailing wolf-dog a swift bop on the nose to silence him.

"Now honey, I know you're upset right now, but you need to calm down. You're acting historical." The pampered pom said firmly, in spite of her faux paw. "Listen to me… you didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes I did…" Balto argued weakly; his voice dripping with shame. "I… I… _raped_ you."

"No you didn't!" Dixie replied insistently. "Now for goodness sake you're talking crazy! You know full well you'd never deflower a lady without her permission! That's just not who you are!"

Something in her tone really struck a chord with the lamenting half-breed. She was absolutely right. Balto knew in his heart that no matter what he would never do anything to harm a lady; especially a lady as sweet and kind as Dixie. It just wasn't in his nature. But wait a minute… if it wasn't in his nature to deflower a lady without her permission then…. Oh dear!

"Dixie… Did I? I mean… Did you?"

"Let you have your way with me" the little powder-puff finished without a hint of shame or regret. "Yes."

With that one single word, Balto felt his entire world turn upside-down. Thousands upon thousands questions raced through his rattled brain; most of them concerning Jenna. Unfortunately his brain and mouth weren't really in sync at the moment, so the only thing he could say was…

"Why?"

"Because I like you, silly." She said with a sincere smile. "Can't you tell?"

At this, Balto's eyes went as wide as saucers. She _liked _him? This sweet, beautiful, caring creature _liked_ him? He knew she liked him, he had no idea she _liked _him. This was just… wow!

Unfortunately he remembered Jenna a split-second later and his heart sank. Dixie sensed his despair and decided he needed some comfort.

"Oh honey…" the pampered pom said in an almost motherly tone. "Let's you and me have a little talk."

Soothed by the sweetness of her voice, Balto relaxed a little and allowed his head to rest on the snow-covered ground. Dixie, with her usual grace and poise, walked over to the confused half-breed and snuggled up against his weary head; making sure he got a nice snoot-full of her _heavenly_ scent.

"Now sweetie, I know you've had a little shock, but I promise it's all gonna be okay." She purred sweetly as she gave his ear a little scratch. "What we did together was magical."

"But why would I do this?" asked crestfallenly. "I'm in love with Jenna."

"Are you really?" asked Dixie, seemingly by accident.

"Excuse me?"

"Well… sweetie, if you _really _loved her you wouldn't 've been checkin' out my cute little rump while we were talking before." The pampered pooch couldn't help but giggle when she caught him blushing. "Now there's no need to get all embarrassed; you're only did what comes natural. Besides, took a few looks at you when you weren't paying attention."

"You… you did?"

"Well sure! I mean just look at you. You're strong and handsome and oh so sweet. You're everything a girl could ever want." She said reassuringly. "Of course, I tried not to at first, what with you going out with best friend and all, but then when you… came at me… I realized just how unhappy you really are."

"What are you talking about?" the noble wolf-dog asked confusedly. "I'm not unhappy."

"You sure about that?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay then, let me ask you something sweetie. What did Jenna do when she found out you were hurt?"

"Well… she asked men if I was okay, I said I was fine, and then… I guess that was it."

"But you're not fine, are you honey? You're still in a lot of pain."

"Yeah… but… she knows I can handle it."

"Here's another one, what do you usually do with Jenna when she visits you? Have you two ever made love?"

"Well, no… mostly we just talk and… go for walks."

"I see… one more question, has Jenna ever once offered to spend the night with you? Just so you don't have to sleep alone?"

"No… no she hasn't."

"Uh-huh, so let me see if I understand this. Your whole relationship with Jenna works like this: she visits you whenever she can, spends a few hours talking or walking with you, doesn't show any real concern over your injuries, and then goes home and leaves you to sleep alone. Is that it?"

"Yeah… I guess that's it."

"And you're happy with this?"

"Well I… I… I…" Balto stuttered as he thought over everything Dixie had said. He didn't want to admit it, but she was absolutely right. "No… I'm not happy. I'm not happy at all."

Dixie did her best not to smile; now she had him right where she wanted him.

"It's okay sweetie," The little powder-puff said in her usual honeyed tone. "Jenna's a nice girl; she just doesn't know how to treat a guy."

"I feel so stupid." Balto said sadly. "I mean… I thought it was all so perfect. How could I have not seen this? It's so obvious!"

"Now honey, you are not stupid." Dixie said sweetly. "You were just so wrapped up in trying to make it work that you didn't realize that you want more than just someone to talk to. You want someone who'll be there to take care of you when you're sick or hurt. You want someone who'll go to bed with you at night and still be there when you wake up. You want someone who's not afraid to make you feel better anyway she can. You want…"

"Someone like you." The handsome half-breed said softly; not even aware he had said it out loud. About midway through her speech, Dixie had stood up and walked right in front of him, so now they were snout to snout and staring deeply into each other's eyes.

For the longest time he just sat there, staring into her beautiful orbs; for within he saw all the beauty and majesty of the Northern Lights time a thousand. The more he stared the more he felt something, something he had never felt before. It was stronger than happiness, stronger even than love; it was… it was… paradise!

"Dixie… I…" he said after what felt like an eternity, only to be cut off when the pampered pom placed a gentle paw on his muzzle.

"It's okay sweetie, you don't have to say anything." With that said she removed her paw from his muzzle, turned around, and began to walk toward the town. "Now come along honey, it'll be getting dark pretty soon and we've got a long way to go."

"Go…" Balto repeated confusedly. "Where are we going?"

Dixie stopped right in her tracks. Then she turned around, gave him a warm and loving smile, and said,

"Home."

XXX

It was about half past six when Jenna finally arrived at Balto's humble abode. The sun had almost completely set and the scarlet husky was sure her owner was worried sick about her, but Jenna couldn't worry about all that right now. No, at the moment she had far greater concerns; she needed to speak to Balto right away.

After her unpleasant run-in with the pickle barrel, Jenna had spent the better part of the afternoon undergoing a series of intense grooming regiments to try and eliminate that horrendous odor. Fortunately Sylvie was in no short supply of all the latest grooming products, so now there wasn't a trace of pickle left in her buttery fur. Unfortunately, thanks to Sylvie's incessant need for perfection Jenna had lost the whole afternoon; an afternoon she had planned on using to get _very close _to Balto.

Oh well, there was always tomorrow. Nothing to do about it now except find her beloved wolf-dog, explain what happened, and apologize for making him wait so long. She knew she'd be home late, but it would be worth it; Balto deserved the truth.

"Balto!" the scarlet husky called out to her beloved half-breed. "It's me Jenna! I know I'm really late but I promise I can explain!"

Jenna waited for him to answer, but was met with dead silence.

"Balto, please don't be mad at me." She said apologetically. "I had a little accident on my way up here. A pickle barrel fell right on top of me and Sylvie had to help me get the smell out of my fur."

But again there was no reply.

"Balto… are you alright in there?"

Once more the wolf-dog did not answer.

Now Jenna was starting to worry. What if he _couldn't _answer? What if his injury was worse than she thought? What if he was… oh dear!

Without thinking, Jenna rushed right into the derelict vessel and found… _nothing_.

The entire ship was totally deserted. She knew Boris was off somewhere with the boys for the weekend, but she'd expected Balto to still be here. So where was he?

Just then, a strange and overwhelming scent reached her nose; it was so potent it nearly knocked her sideways. Fortunately, the scarlet husky was much stronger than she appeared, so she was able to stand her ground. That's when she noticed something rather odd about the odor; it was like mix of several different smells. One scent was clearly Balto's, Jenna knew it all too well, while another smelled suspiciously like Dixie, but of course that wasn't possible; Dixie had never even spoken to Balto. There was third scent in the mix as well; one that she couldn't quite identify. It was so strange and yet so familiar; it was almost like…

Oh no! Oh… dear lord! No!

XXX

"Oh, Poopsie!" Dixie called to her _beloved _Balto affectionately as she scampered into the living room with a silver food dish balanced atop her fluffy little head. "I thought you might hungry so I had Dorothy whip you up some nummy-nummy liver snaps!"

The little cream-puff waited eagerly for him to accept her tasty treats, but received only a gentle snore in response.

"Balto? You okay honey?" she asked, sounding slightly concerned. But of course, all traces of worry melted away when her eyes fell upon her new hubby.

There he was, sleeping soundly on Dixie's large and plushy pink pillow which sat perfectly in front of a warm and cozy fire; wrapped in Dixie's snuggly pink blanket. Oh yes, he looked absolutely adorable.

In spite of his initial concerns, Balto had been fully welcomed into Dixie's home. Not that the little powder-puff had ever doubted it; her owner Dorothy always was an easy sale. You know the type; plump well to do lady who lived to pamper and spoil her pets mercilessly. Why, the very second Dixie made her feelings for the old wolf-dog clear, Dorothy let out a girlish squeal of delight, swooped up the slightly frightened half-breed, and whisked him away up stairs to give him a much needed bubble bath. Dixie let out a cute giggled when she remembered the look on his face when Dorothy joked about styling his fur to make him look like a French Poodle. At least, Dixie hoped she was joking.

Anyway, after an intense and somewhat humiliating grooming regiment, Dorothy's husband John got home from work. John, being a wealthy businessman with aspirations of public office, was completely ecstatic about having the town hero living in his home. So now it was totally official; she and Balto were living together, **forever**!

Oh… she could just picture their new life together; having Dorothy cater to their every whim, strutting around town in matching collars, calling each other adorable pet names in public, making love six or seven times a day, being the envy of every dog in town! Oh yes! That's exactly the kind of life a hero deserved! The kind of life the _she_ deserved!

Unfortunately, before her fantasy could go any further, it was interrupted by a small scratching noise coming from the backdoor.

"Oh… who bothers people at this hour?" Dixie pouted as she set the food dish on the floor and made her way for the back doggie door. "Just wait right there shnookums, I'll be right back."

XXX

Once outside, the pampered pom was greeted by the all too familiar sight of one of her dearest friends.

"Sylvie! Well I'll be!" she said sweetly. "What are you doin' here?"

"What did ya think? I was gonna wait until tomorrow to hear about your little roll in the hay?" the lanky Afghan said suggestively. "So… give me the details girl! Don't keep me in suspense! How was he?"

"Oh… Sylvie…" said Dixie, her voice dripping with rapture. "He was positively magnesium."

"Ooo… do tell…"

"Now sweetie, you don't expect me to tell you all my secrets, do you?"

"Oh come on…" Sylvie whined. "Can't you just give me a hint or something?"

"Nope, sorry honey." The little powder-puff said playfully. "If you wanna bag a guy, you're gonna have to figure it out all by yourself."

"Fine…" Sylvie said with huff, before abruptly changing the subject. "So… where's the old wolf-dog now?"

"Mine sweet widdle poopsie's taking a little nappy-poo by the fireplace." She answered in a sickeningly sweet tone. "He's had such an _exhausting_ day."

"Wow… cutesy talk _and_ disgustingly adorable pet names; this must serious."

"You bet your sweet behind it is!" Dixie said in a cute yet sinister tone. "I've got Balto wrapped around my little paw and I'm gonna make sure he stays that way and loves it!"

Unfortunately, before their little conversation could go any further, a low and feral growl pierced the air; effectively gaining both dog's attention. That's when they noticed her standing there, not five feet away, her eyes narrowed and her teeth bared in hate.

"Jenna…" the lanky afghan said with more than a twinge of fear.

"Sylvie, why don't you head home." The little cream-puff said without even a trace of terror. "I think Jenna wants to have a _private_ conversation."

"Sure thing Dixie, I'll see you tomorrow." She said nervously, before bolting off into the night.

Once they were alone, Jenna quickly closed the distance between them, until they were practically nose to nose.

"How could you?" the scarlet husky said venomously.

"Why Jenna, whatever do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean! How could you do this do this to me? I thought you were my friend."

"Oh sweetie, of course I'm your friend. That's the only reason I waited this long."

"Dixie… I swear… if you've done anything to hurt Balto…"

"Hurt him? Honey, you're the one that's hurt him."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me! You had him for over a month and you never even once tried to _pleasure _him! What's up with that?"

"We were going to wait for the right… that's none of your business! Balto and I love each other! You're just using him for… for… sex!"

"Oh really? Well if he _loves _you so much then why did he make love to _me_? Why is he living with _me? _And why does he want to have puppies with _me_?"

"You're lying!"

"Believe whatever you want honey, but facts are facts. He doesn't want you anymore, he wants _me_!"

That was the final straw! Jenna wasn't going to listen to any more of this nonsense.

"Get out of my way."

"Excuse me?"

"I said get out of my way. I need to talk to Balto right now so I can straighten this whole mess out."

"Sorry sweetie, but my Poopsie is sleeping right now. You'll have to wait 'til tomorrow."

"He is not your… **anything**! Now just get out of my way!"

"No!"

"I said… _**Ahhh**_!"

Before she could finish her threat, Dixie bit the scarlet husky right on her nose; causing her to cry out in pain. Once the little cream-puff let go Jenna had to take a few steps back. She could tell by the look in her former friend's eyes that this was one fight she wasn't going to win.

"I don't want to fight you Dixie. So I'll leave for now, but I want you to know that this isn't over." said Jenna as she reluctantly slunk away into the night. "Not by a longshot."

Dixie gave no response, save for a snort of contempt and a snide remark.

"That's what you think, _honey_."

XXX

With her foe momentarily defeated, Dixie was finally able to get back to more important matters; namely playing with her handsome new hubby.

Once she returned to the living room, she found that Balto was still fast asleep; although now he appeared to be having a nightmare.

"Well now… we can't have that now can we." She said to herself aloud as she daintily walked over toward the sleeping wolf-dog. Then, with great grace and poise, she gave his nose a gentle nudge with her oh so gorgeous butt; rousing him from his slumber a split second later.

"Huh… what's it… wha happened? Where am I?" Balto said groggily as slowly regained his senses. "Oh… hey Dixie, what's wrong?"

"You were having a nightmare sweetie. Are you okay?"

"Yeah… I fine. It's just… I'm having some second thoughts about all this."

"What are you sayin'?" Dixie asked with a slight sniffle. "You don't like living here with me?"

"No! Heavens no! It's just that… I just feel guilty about doing this to Jenna."

"Now sweetie, we've been over this. We haven't done anything wrong. These things just happen."

"I know… but I still think we need to talk to her about this. I don't want her to get the wrong idea."

"Shh…" she said as she gave him a gentle scratch behind the ear. "It's okay shnookums. We'll talk to Jenna tomorrow and get this whole thing straightened out. Okay?"

"Okay…" he said in a pleasure induced daze.

"Good. Now is Dixie's widdle Poopsie-Whoopsie ready for more lovey-wovey time?"

Balto only nodded in response; a delirious grin spread across his lips.

"Alright, but this time I'm on top."

As the little fluff-ball prepared to mount her handsome half-breed, she once again imagined their future together. She would of course be the more dominant and he her obedient love slave. She would shower him with love and affection and he respond in kind. Over time they would start a family; several if she had anything to say about it. And they would all live happily ever after.

Oh yes… this had been her greatest hunt ever and now she was going to enjoy her spoils….

Again.

And again.

And again.

End Notes: Well… that's the end. I hope everyone enjoyed it. I also hope that this fic inspires a new wave of BaltoXDixie fics. As you may have guessed, I support this shipping. In fact most of the shippings I support are not necessarily canon. In Naruto I ship Naruto and Ino. In Silver Spoon I ship Yugo and Tamako. In Medabots I ship Ikki and Samantha. In Mulan I ship Mulan and Chien-Po. Why? I don't know. Anyway, now you know a little more about me. Please leave a review before you leave. Later.


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